History
The Classic Yacht Charitable Trust was formed in 2002 when it became apparent that the historic keystone classic yacht Waitangi, then based in Melbourne, could be lost to not only New Zealand but the Southern Hemisphere, when it was put up for international tender. However quick and decisive action by the trust secured the yacht for the Hauraki Gulf and the people of New Zealand’s future enjoyment.
The original Trustees had, through mutual interests, often discussed the future of New Zealand’s classic and historic yachts and launches many of which were being sailed. However others were locked in sheds with some vague future plan to “get her back into the water”. Many of these boats were being altered, often in unsympathetic ways but worse still literally wasting away in the bays and mangrove swamps of New Zealand. Those discussions also confirmed that although New Zealand’s recent maritime history is well known and publicly funded, very little is known of timber classic yachts and the difficulty one person would have to restore and maintain and campaign the largest of these vessels.
With this in mind The Classic Yacht Charitable Trust was formed.
Aims and Objectives
- To promote public interest and education in aspects of the maritime history of
New Zealand, including the design construction and use of vessels of all
descriptions. - The preservation restoration purchase acquisition and maintenance of
examples of early yachts launches scows and other vessels designed and
built in New Zealand and used in or around New Zealand waterways. - To arrange and organise educational opportunities to acquaint the public and
young people with the heritage and skills of early New Zealand boat builders,
boat designers and the early sailors. - To co-operate with other entities and museums to better promote and achieve
the aims of the Trust.
The work of the CYCT has been emphasised by publication late in 2010 of Classic, Ivor Wilkins’ magnificent book telling with wonderful words and pictures the story of the revival of classic boating in New Zealand. It will go a long way in helping convince the wider community of the need to build on the work the trust began.
Founder and Patron
John Street MNZM
John brought to the Trust the commercial experience required to manage the Trust. As one of Auckland's most recognised maritime identities and with a lifetime of experience he brought to the Trust a huge depth of knowledge and industry networks.
John is a Member Of The New Zealand Order Of Merit for services to yachting. Past Director of Whitbread Stop Over Limited, Past Trustee of the National Maritime Museum, Chairman of NZ International Yachting Trust, Foundation Member of NZ Yachting Academy, Committee member NZ Yachting High Performance Committee, Committee Member and past Chairman of Boating Industry Association, Executive Member of the Marine Export Group (MAREX), Past Director of the 2000 Americas Cup Village development. Committee Member of Boating Industry Association, New Zealand Yachting Federation honour award 1994, Life member of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron 2001, Life Member Yachting New Zealand. Sir Bernard Ferguson Yachtsman of the year award 2004.
John retired as chair of the trust in 2021 and remained as Patron until he passed away on 21st Dec 2023.
Trustees
Larry Paul (Chair) | Trustee - Funding
Larry has a 42 year career in Banking including senior executive roles. He took up sailing in his early 20s while living in the Cook Islands. Over the years he has sailed and raced dinghies, trailer yachts and keelers and spent many years coaching junior sailing. Since joining the crew of Waitangi soon after her return to New Zealand he has developed a passion for our classic fleet and has skippered Waitangi since 2007. Larry particularly enjoys the company of the many New Zealanders and overseas visitors who relish the opportunity to sail on this important example of New Zealand’s boatbuilding history.
Larry was a part of the Daring Rescue Group involved in the recovery of the Daring from Te Oneone Rangatira (Muriwai Beach) and is now a trustee of the Mangawhai Daring Trust involved in preserving the vessel for public display.
Iain Valentine | Trustee - Events
Iain’s professional management consulting role brings to the Trust considerable operational analysis and planning skills with a focus on organizational excellence. A South Islander by birth, his love of the outdoors was realized in mountaineering and skiing there until his move to Auckland in 1970. His sailing experience began as crewmember on racing keelers, at the same time pursuing centreboard sailing at Tamaki & Kohimaramara Yacht Clubs. From 1985 he part-owned/skippered the 14m motor sailer Anaconda, and for 15 years explored the Hauraki Gulf and Bay Of Islands. He is a member of the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron, member of the Classic Yacht Association, and Skipper of Frances
Andy Ball | Trustee - Fleet maintenance
Andy was one of New Zealand’s outstanding Olympic class and offshore racing sailors through the 1970s, 80s and 90s, known internationally for his long involvement, as helmsman, strategist and tactician, with the late Ian Gibbs. Together, they raced four Half Ton Cups, two Admirals Cups and four Southern Cross Cups, which included the Sydney- Hobart race. They were forced out of two of those in extreme conditions. In more recent years, Andy has become an enthusiast for classic yacht racing and his latest foray into that arena is as skipper of the 124-year-old, 58ft LOA Charles Bailey Jr design gaff cutter Ida which will joined CYCT fleet once her full restoration was completed by Wayne Olsen and Mike Smith at Wayne's yard in Stillwater in 2020.
Angus Rogers | Trustee - Legal and Compliance
Angus' sailing carrer started at age 7 in frostbites and prgoressed over the years through several dinghy and keel boat classes, before in more recent years moving to classic launches. Angus retired as consultant lawyer at Martelli McKegg at the end of 2021 where, after merging his private practice into the firm, he worked in the formation and administration of trusts and other estate planning.He is a past Commodore of Tamaki Yacht Club and he joined the RNZYS in 1994. Angus was elected as a trustee of the OBC Marina scheme in 2017 Angus also served for two years as Launch Captain of the CYA. Angus has always enjoyed boating in all its forms in and on the water and he has a particular liking of older wooden boats which he loves tinkering with and improving.
David Davies | Trustee - Finance
David is a retired chartered accountant with a background in finanical management roles across a wide range of companies both off shore and within New Zealand over the years including Masport, Sutherlands Tannery, Peach and Vienna Foods, Tip Top/General Foods, Office Products Depot Group, and Mercy Hospital. David is still involved with the angiography unit board, and he has continuing responsibilities with the Methodist Church and the 500-strong Auckland Beekeepers’ Club. Beekeeping is a favourite hobby, alongside tennis. David’s sailing experience started at a young age with a Frostply, bogged in the mud of Hamilton Lake, and the family later enjoyed a Kestrel trailer sailer. He's the proud builder of an Optimist, that actually measured. David is now enjoying crewing aboard Waitangi, working the gentle shift, midships, while bringing a wealth of knowledge to the trust.
Steve Lafferty | Trustee - People
Kim Hampson | Trustee - Marketing
With over two decades freelance & corporate roles spanning advertising photography, graphic design, and as Head of Marketing for an international architectural firm, and a further 14 years as a dedicated Real Estate Agent in Auckland East Bays, Kim brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in marketing and brand management to the trust.
Kim has been sailing since she was a young teenager with her father. He built two Trailer Sailer’s in a shed on the farm and she became proficient at prising 1000's of staples from the Plywood hull. This progressed to her specialising in pushing the boat off the banks of Lake Rotoiti while her dad learnt to sail.
Her sailing experience ranges from cruising in the Hauraki Gulf, to twilight racing and messing about on Hobie Cat’s on Sydney harbour where she lived for 20 years. Kim was smitten with the ‘Waitangi’ from the first time she stepped aboard in 2013; she loves the thrill and the spectacular scenes of the races & regattas, and the great camaraderie of her fellow crew members.
She is looking forward to much bigger sailing adventures that currently chill in the bucket list, but for now she helps CYCT with Marketing for fundraising and building the awareness of the brand.
Christine Winkelnkemper | Secretary
Christine has a 32-year career in accounting, including various senior managerial positions. Presently, she serves as a General Manager, directing her expertise mostly toward financial controlling and project management.
Sixteen years ago, upon her arrival in New Zealand, Christine embarked on her sailing journey. Initially volunteering for the Maritime Museum, she navigated the waters aboard Ted Ashby, guiding tourists through Auckland Harbour's scenic vistas. Christine transitioned to sailing on Waitangi, assuming responsibility for mid-ship operations. Her culinary passion complemented her sailing endeavours and Waitangi quickly became the boat to be on during overnight voyages. Christine brings keen volunteer skills to maintenance tasks like antifouling and varnishing. She finds fulfilment in activities associated with water, the outdoors, yoga, and lately acrylic painting.
Encountering the Waitangi crew upon immigrating to New Zealand, Christine forged longstanding friendships that endure to this day. The camaraderie and profound bonds that emerged from this experience remain a cherished aspect of her life in New Zealand, illustrating the remarkable connections fostered through shared experiences.
Past Trustees
Bill McCarthy
With over 50 years broadcasting experience in both radio and TV, Bill has covered yachting events both internationality and in New Zealand. As a producer and director and as the former head of TVNZ sport and network newsreader, Bill has built an extensive network of contacts he has been able to draw on in his support for the trust since its inception.
Bills interests still lie in media with his TV production company McCarthy Communications not only specialising in yachting and boating in New Zealand, but in his other passion classical music in which he has had a life time involvement including as a conductor and pianist.
Bill retired as trustee of the trust in 2023 and remains an adviser to the trust.
Chris Bouzaid MBE
Chris is a former sail maker and joint owner with his brother of Sails and Covers Ltd a business started by his father Leo Bouzaid. Sails and Covers Ltd was later merged into Hood sails, with Chris ultimately becoming President of Hood Sails worldwide. Chris owned and skippered the 36ft S&S one ton cup boat Rainbow II which was built inn 1967 by Max Carter. In 1969 Chris and Rainbow II put NZ yachting onto the global yachting map. He won all but three of forty-eight races including Kiel Week, Travamunde Week, the One Ton Cup, Cowes Week, Channel Race and their class in the Fastnet Race (which he also won in 1979, in the fateful race that tragically cost 13 lives). Chris maintains a very active interest in Rainbow II. After discovering her in a poor condition in Bermuda in 2009, he was instrumental in aquiring and returning her to NZ. In 2021 Chris bought a share in the 1898 gaff cutter Rainbow which he spent many of his younger years sailing on when it was owned by his father. Chris was inducted into the New Zealand Sporting Hall of Fame in 1990 and has been a Trustee of the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust since 2015.
Chris retired as trustee from the trust in 2023 and remains an adiser to the trust.
Neil Gillard
Neil started his sailing life at the age of 2 on the ‘A’ class Ngatiawa built by his father Harry until age 7 when the boat was sold. Not to be kept off the water Neil took up P class sailing at age 8 before progressing to Idle Alongs, then the 18 and 22ft mullet boats Bon Voyage and Rakoa. Straight from school Neil took up a boat building apprenticeship with Chas Bailey & Son and boat building has stayed with him having finished off a John Lidgard built Townson Twilight hull, followed by building a 38ft Birdsall, Focal Point, which he owned for 20 years. Neil’s blue water experiences include cruising the Pacific Islands at age 22 with 3 friends on the Tercel built Roiaata which they also sailed in the 1968 Sydney-Hobart race. Neil is currently caretaker and skipper of Rainbow ll and continues on the trusts boat maintenance committee.
Gavin McGregor
Beginning his working life as a Union Company apprentice cadet, Gavin spend most of his career as a deck officer and later as master with three shipping companies. His final ship before retirement was Master of one of Broken Hill Propriety’s largest bulk carriers. He also spent eight years ashore as stevedoring supervisor for the British Phosphate Commissioners. His involvement with the Maritime Museum over the past nine years has seen him take on the role of skipper of the scow Ted Ashby. His skills in maintenance and problem-solving have often been used on other vessels at the museum and he has helped in preparing displays at the museum. A long-time member of the Ponsonby Cruising Club he has helped with the operation of the club’s sailing school which teaches young people to sail through out the year.
Malcolm (Max) Carter
Max brings to the Trust the practical industrial and commercial expertise and a sense of reality of what is required when restoring or conserving classic vessels. Max has been actively engaged in the marine industry both in N.Z. and overseas, since commencing his apprenticeship in 1948. This passion continues as a designer and consultant for all types of craft in timber, glass fibre, and steel as well as the fabrication of aluminium yacht spar rigging. Restoration work has included small craft exhibits and the research, design and construction of the trading scow "Ted Ashby" for the National Maritime Museum. Max’s company helped put New Zealand on the world yachting stage by building "Rainbow II" which went on to win the One Ton Cup. Max was Managing Director of Yacht Spars N.Z. Ltd when the company was awarded the first N.Z. Marine Export Award. Max’s membership of the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron has spanned over 50 years. Sadly Max passed away in July 2016.
Bruce Tantrum
Bruce’s detailed knowledge of classic yachts is second to none and his vision of the Trust’s direction and the need for restoration accuracy is a guiding principle for other Trustees. Founding Chairman of Okahu Bay Schools’ Waterwise training programme, currently Patron and Committee Member, Past Commodore Royal Akarana Yacht Club, Executive Committee Classic Yacht Association, 2004 Team Leader for 8 NZ teams attending International Youth Regattas in Japan, 25 years experience in national and international yachting administration and race management. Extensive local coastal and international yacht racing and cruising experience. Bruce is a keelboat owner of 35 years and a member of the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron for 33.
Robin Bailey
Robin is a former journalist, radio station manager and public relations consultant who brings to the Trust not only his media expertise and knowledge but through his local body political experience brings an understanding of the workings of political structure within our community. For the past 20 years Robin has operated Bridge Communications, an Auckland-based agency specialising in boats, water and all things marine. He has had a long held interest in water safety and is a founding board member of Water Safe Auckland. As editor of the New Zealand Herald’s Weekend Marine Saturday feature he was able to showcase many aspects of the maritime industry, including major heritage projects. Community interests include local body affairs, particularly those impacting on the Newmarket region of Auckland, in which he continues to play a key role as president of the Newmarket Protection Society. He is a member of the Royal New Zealand yacht Squadron. Sadly Robin passed away in 2019.
AD (Tony) Blake
As a member of one of New Zealand’s most recognised yachting families Tony has developed a community network that enables things to get done. Tony’s personal and leadership qualities have enabled commitment and buy in from diverse groups within the maritime community.
Professionally known, as AD Blake, Tony is an internationally renowned marine artist whose works have been acquired by many private and corporate collectors in the United States, Canada, the British Virgin Isles, Britain and New Zealand. Commissions have come from important private and corporate collections as well as international yacht clubs. With a lifetime of sailing experience both coastal and blue water Tony is also past Chairman of the Classic Yacht Association of New Zealand and past skipper of the trust boats Gloriana, Waitangi and Thelma.